Multi-display spec help please

fundy

fundy

fundy

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Hi all

Trying to spec a new machine which is mainly used for 2d applications (stock market trading and poker mainly).

The key requirement is being able to run upto 4 independent monitors at 1920x1200 resolution.

Currently I have an AGP based system which can run 4 monitors but only upto 1600x1200 reso and ive just upgraded a couple of my monitors to 24" ones.

It appears my options are either:

1) Short term solution find an AGP card that will run 2 screens at 1920x1200 (advice on suitable card gratefully received)
2) Build a new PCI-E machine which can handle 4 monitors at 1920x1200.

As far as budget is concerned ill spend what is needed but dont see the need to overspec the machine if im not gonna use its full ability.

I know which monitors I intend on having and have all the peripherals so its just the main unit I would need to replace.

My current machine has 2 high speed hard drives which ideally Ill be able to re-use (if I can), and also has Windows XP which Im happy to stick with, I think the rest will need to be new.

Would appreciate any advice, especially on what graphics card to use and what motherboard and processor to go with.

Thanks in advance for any advice received.
 
AGP, something like a 7600GT with dual DVI should surfice but GPU drivers can be fussy so different core gpu chips often don't play together. It really depends on what you currently have. OCUK don't list them but you can find them at auction or other retailers.

To get the best out of your cards you should consider a new system with either crossfire or sli capability.

You won't actually use the cards in that mode but you'll get 2x PCI-E 16 slots so you can install two GPU's

The mainboard is around £70 for AMD socket AM2 or £100 for Intel socket 775

A low end CPU with be around £60 for either system though spending more wouldn't hurt for longevity

A pair of low end graphics cards around £50 each would be fine.

Add in a DVD, HDD, new case, psu etc and you'll be looking £400+ for the basic box.

You may as well get a new HDD, they don't last for ever and a respectable one is aroudn £40 unless your existing are SATA and recent.

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remove any bits you dont need
 
Many thanks for the replys

One question (apologies for my ignorance), if i get a motherboard that can handle 2 graphics cards, if i put in 2 Dual DVI cards, does this mean I can run 2 monitors off each, ie run 4 monitors independently with the cursor running across all 4 as I choose?
 
Yeah, that should work fine. You don't need to worry about SLI or crossfire as they'll not be used for game rendering, just plug in the two cards, four screens and off you go.
 
check out

fundy said:
Many thanks for the replys

One question (apologies for my ignorance), if i get a motherboard that can handle 2 graphics cards, if i put in 2 Dual DVI cards, does this mean I can run 2 monitors off each, ie run 4 monitors independently with the cursor running across all 4 as I choose?
Click to expand...

Matrox website - I have used matrox cards for 4 x monitors for over 8 years - cant fault them for anything but gaming - if you look around you can still get the G200 MMS cards (bay) that can run 4 independant monitors - for the res you are looking for you are prob looking for a PCIe card etc

khushy
 
Khushy

am also a matrox user, currently have a QID 256MB card which runs 4 monitors, but to a maximum resolution of 1600x1200, hence the need to change.

I think Im going to go for the short term fix and buy a Sapphire Radeon 3850 Dual DVI and cut back to 2 24" screens, then look to build the new machine back end of next year now.

One (hopefully) final question - if I have a dual DVI graphics card in the AGP slot running 2 monitors via DVI, is it possible to have another card into one of the PCI slots to run a 3rd machine at a lower resolution?
 
PNY do PCI cards - 6200 PCI which will support a 1920x1200 flat panel over DVI ... they cost around £35. Not sure if ATI have anything similar but I assume you could add as many as you have PCI slots.

Just make sure you get PCI and not PCI-E !

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Many thanks for that Decto

I think the ideal solution for me now will be to buy a dual dvi AGP card (prob sapphire 3850) and then one of these PCI cards to run the 3rd monitor.

Just trying to make sure that will work
 
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